China US Photo:VCG

I believe China and the US had a really good quarrel during their Alaska talks on Friday.

First, the Chinese delegation helped the Chinese public vent the anger that had accumulated for several years. The US has been too aggressive and arrogant in recent years. It believes it is almighty, pointing fingers at the ever-stronger China and doing everything to suppress China. Some US politicians have been badmouthing China. They are asking for insults. Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Foreign Affairs, and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi refuted the US’ arrogant attacks in public. This is unprecedented since China and the US established diplomatic relations in 1979. Yang told the US that Chinese people do not buy it. It really speaks the mind of the Chinese public.

Second, Yang and Wang have taught a good lesson to the extreme US politicians about the kind of country China really is. These people believe that China will collapse as soon as it is pressured or coerced, and they have always clamored that the US policy is not tough enough. Today we will let them know how tough China’s diplomacy is. This is a correction of the starting point of the US elites’ understanding of China. They need to be more respectful when dealing with China. They want to speak to China from a position of strength? Then they had better properly match their strength with wishes. They should see China’s strength clearly. Our national strength is more than enough to support our independent attitude toward the US, to support our policies on Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan and defend China’s national security and continued development.

Third, the Chinese delegation has shown the few US allies how China is dealing with the US. China has publicly refuted the US, and for those US lackeys who try to bite China, please behave. Don’t expect China to be polite to them if they always provoke China.

Fourth, after such a public quarrel, I believe the two sides’ subsequent dialogue will be more rational and pragmatic. Haven’t the two delegations withstood the impact of a public quarrel as soon as they met? I think the two societies have quickly adapted to this way of meeting between China and the US. The two sides have had two rounds of talks and there is still a third one. It has already been good to keep talking. The two countries and the world’s public opinion were very pessimistic about the Alaska talks’ prospects. After the quarrel, the expectations are even lower. However, it is really possible that the final result could turn out to be better than expected.

Despite the quarrels, if China and the US do not learn to coexist in a fierce game, is there a second way? In my opinion, whether they like it or not, the two world major powers will have to find common ground. After all, this is the 21st century, and there are many fields of cooperation including business, travel and studying abroad. Except for a few geopolitical maniacs, who would want to see the two nuclear powers confront each other? We should all keep calm and let’s just wait and see.

The author is editor-in-chief of the Global Times. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn